


Torn

by Anonymous



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Arthur Ketch To The Rescue, Caretaker Sam Winchester, Castiel (Supernatural) is Missing, Disabled Dean Winchester, First Kiss, Hurt Castiel (Supernatural), Hurt Dean Winchester, Love Confessions, M/M, Sam Winchester Takes Care of Castiel, Sam Winchester Takes Care of Dean Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-04-22
Packaged: 2020-01-24 02:51:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18562426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Castiel has gone missing, but Sam can’t leave Dean alone.No one but Ketch is close enough to help, and when the Brit returns Cas to the bunker, Sam can’t hold back any longer.It’s time he told Cas how he felt.





	Torn

**Author's Note:**

> Just in case any one is triggered, this is set after Michael leaves Dean.
> 
> Unlike in the show, where Dean suffered no physical ill effects from the possession, here he is left with the type of consequences that Castiel predicted for him and they are not reversible.

“Any word yet?”

Sam shook his head, and tipped the cup enough for Dean to get some of the soup in his mouth. He swallowed, clumsily, and Sam used the tea towel to dab the liquid that dribbled from the corner of his brother’s mouth.

“You should get out there. Find that dumbass.”

Sam forced a smile that he knew was as fake as Dean’s insistence that he was okay.

He was not okay. 

He would never again be okay.

“You’re the one who said we should trust Ketch more. _There’s only two sides now; Michael’s, and ours_. Right?”

Dean tried to make a face at him. “Not when it comes to Cas.”

No, not when it came to Cas. But Sam couldn’t leave, and Mary and Bobby were still hundreds of miles away, and that left only one person Sam could ask for help.

He grabbed the small plastic cup with Dean’s meds, and tilted them into Dean’s mouth before grabbing a glass of water.

“He’ll be fine,” he said.

He hoped.

++

It was nearly five hours later when Sam heard the bunker door open. He’d been trying both Cas’s and Ketch’s phones, and getting no response from either, but he ran to the stairs as he heard footsteps.

When he looked up, Ketch was coming through the door, and he had one hand fixed around Cas’s arm, steering the angel towards the stairs.

“Well, Sam. One might think you didn’t trust me to bring your angel home.”

Sam ignored the Brit. His focus was only on Cas, on how rough he looked, how worn down.

But there were no cuts or bruises. No sign of broken bones. 

Ketch guided Cas down to where Sam stood, and only then did he let the angel go.

And Sam’s hand came to rest where Ketch’s had been, and he pulled Cas gently towards him, and then led him away.

“You’re welcome,” Ketch said.

Sam didn’t hear him. 

++

Once he had Cas in his room, Sam closed the door behind him and tugged the angel closer to the bed.

“Dean,” Cas protested, but he even _sounded_ as if he was about to crash.

“Asleep,” Sam said. “He’s asleep.”

He tugged Cas’s tie loose, lifted it over the angel’s head and tossed it aside.

He hastily undid the shirt buttons, and then pushed the shirt, his suit jacket and trench coat off in one frantic movement, letting them lay where they fell.

“Sam,” Cas said, and there was weariness there, but confusion underlying it.

“Don’t,” Sam said. He turned Cas carefully away from him, traced his fingers across Cas’s shoulders, down his back, turned him back to face him.

Sam gently stroked his fingers along the angel’s jaw, the sides of his neck, felt his way over ribs that were still whole, skin that was unmarked.

“Don’t keep leaving us,” he said. 

Cas made a small, pained sound. “I didn’t…. I couldn’t get free. Ketch…. Ketch found me, undid the chains, _helped me_.”

He sounded surprised, and Sam couldn’t blame him.

But Cas was home and the hows and the whos didn’t matter at all.

Sam cupped the back of Cas’s head and then he was kissing him.

It was short, and hungry, and desperate, and then Sam broke it, and shut his eyes, and rested his forehead against the angel’s.

“I’m sorry.” That, that was the last thing he should have done. Especially without getting permission.

Then he felt Cas’s hand gently touching his cheek.

“Why?”

“For not asking. For not checking it was okay. For not making sure you’re okay first.” Because he’d learned so many times that not all Cas’s wounds appeared on the outside.

He only opened his eyes when Cas was suddenly kissing him back.

“You don’t need to ask,” Cas said. “Sam, you’ve _never_ needed to ask.”

It was a while since Sam had dared believe in miracles, but the angel’s words sounded as close to one as he thought he’d ever experience again.

“In that case…. I'm sorry for making you wait.”

Cas smiled. “That apology, I’ll accept.” Then he swayed a little, and Sam put his arms around the angel, his angel, to help him stay upright.

“You should be sleeping too,” he said.

Cas glanced over his shoulder at Sam’s bed. “Here?”

Sam nodded. “Here.” If he had his way, this would be were Cas spent his nights from now on.


End file.
